Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Joe Donnelly announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun processing applications for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which will provide the most comprehensive educational benefits to veterans since the original bill was signed into law in 1944.
“The new, Post-9/11 GI Bill is great news for our veterans,” Donnelly said. “The original World War II GI Bill was an important piece of legislation that enabled millions of veterans to receive a college education. This new and improved GI Bill will provide even better benefits for our men and women who have given of themselves so selflessly and will pay dividends many times over for them, their families and our country.”
The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, which was the original G.I. bill, provided for college or vocational training for returning World War II veterans. It is credited with forestalling a widely-feared post-World War II economic depression by expanding the home-owning middle class and forever changing the nature of higher education in the United States.
Since 1944, the G.I. bill has gone through many updates, the most recent being the Montgomery G.I. Bill of 1987. However, the benefits have not kept pace with the increasing cost of attending higher education institutions, and many veterans are being forced to forgo higher education because they cannot afford it. Others are having to take on extra loans to cover the cost of a full four-year education.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill was passed by Congress in June 2008 and provides for tuition expenses, a living allowance, money for books and the ability to transfer unused educational benefits to spouses or children. The new bill is available to any service member who served after September 10, 2001 for at least 90 aggregate days or who served for at least 30 days and received a disability discharge. The bill provides for full tuition and fees for the equivalent of 36 months of full-time enrollment at the most expensive in-state public college. Service members have 15 years from their basic release date to use the benefits.
Donnelly was joined by Will Lowe, who served in the Air Force. He is currently attending Indiana University South Bend on the Montgomery GI Bill, but plans on applying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
“The new, Post-9/11 GI Bill will provide me with even more benefits than I am currently receiving,” said Mr. Lowe. “Receiving a quality education is extremely important to me, and this new bill will make it even easier for me to do so. I thank Congressman Donnelly for his support of this improved GI Bill, and I look forward to receiving the new benefits.”
For additional information or questions regarding the Post-9/11 GI Bill, call 1-888-GI-BILL-1 or visit www.GIBILL.va.gov.
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